The Daily Plan-it / Dean of Students Blog, Columbia J-school

August 27, 2008

MEMO: Fall Schedule Begins

Dear Students:

A reminder about the Fall Academic Schedule.

Please be sure to check your schedules at least once a day on SSOL [ https://ssol.columbia.edu/ ] for a couple of weeks - days, rooms, times, etc., may have changed.

Highlights - when certain classes begin:

September 2 (week of):

  • M.S. RWI staggered schedule: Those students whose classes meet on Mondays, will meet on Tuesday. Tuesday classes will meet on Wednesday and so forth.
  • Section 1 of Critical Issues [Klatell and Tucher] begins on Wednesday night, September 3, at 6 p.m., in the Lecture Hall. The second class will meet on Friday, September 12, at 12:30 p.m., in the Lecture Hall (the regular class time).
  • Skills: Sections 15 (Photo Skills with Smock) & 20 (Radio Skills with Welby/Karr) – see http://web.jrn.columbia.edu/students/Skills_web3.html
  • Regular Schedule [as it appears in SSOL] for PT Intro to TV; M.A. classes (see alternate room list in the orientation folder you receive tomorrow); Broadcast for SIPA students; Knight Bagehot & PhD classes

September 8 (week of):

  • RWII Electives (except in cases with direct communication from the professor about alternate date); The Literature of Non-Fiction; Friday Critical Issues [first regular day/time class]; Friday Law; Wednesday Law; Thursday Critical Issues; NY as a Foreign Country; Social Impact of Mass Media

September 12:

For Fall M.S. Master’s Projects: your advisers will be in touch about when classes meet. Many meet on Friday afternoons, but some don’t; the advisers will let you know.

For class times and locations for everything else, you need to go to http://www.columbia.edu/cu/bulletin/uwb/ and click on “J” and then on “Fall 2008.”

Questions to dos@jrn.columbia.edu

MEMO: Fall 2008 - Rosters, Days, Rooms and Times

Filed under: Faculty, Adjuncts

Dear Fall Faculty,

Welcome to Fall Semester 2008.

To double check the day, room and times for your class, please go to the Directory of Classes at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/bulletin/uwb/ . You will need to click on J for Journalism and then on Fall 2008.

All classes [except for RWI and the M.A. classes] begin the week of September 8.

Those of you teaching a five week skills class, should refer to

http://web.jrn.columbia.edu/students/Skills_web3.html for the exact dates/times and locations for your classes.

Master’s Project and Master’s Thesis professors should contact students for a first meeting during the week of September 8.

To access your class roster and e-mail list, please go to SSOL at https://ssol.columbia.edu/. You must have an active UNI and password to use this system.

Please me know if you have any questions.

MH

August 22, 2008

RW1: Fill in your beats here

[UPDATE, Aug. 27: We have circulated a spreadsheet with 170 students’ info. Deadline for version 2.0 is Tuesday, Sept. 2, 9 p.m. Please fill this in if you haven’t done so already.]

Dear full-time M.S. students:

Please fill in this form so that you can network with fellow students who are covering the same beat.

Please fill in right away. We will circulate this list on Wednesday, Aug. 28. We will do a second, updated edition in early September.


<a href="http://www.formsite.com/columbiaspj/rw12008/index.html">Click here to complete: RWI Beats 2008</a>

August 21, 2008

EXTRACURRICULARS: SPJ elections timeline

Filed under: SPJ, Orientation

See the full timeline for elections here:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhkjgb6f_226hbgj2xd5

More details coming soon to http://spj.jrn.columbia.edu

ALL QUESTIONS TO Prof. Duy Linh Tu, SPJ adviser: dnt3
Rebecca Castillo, class president 2006 and former SPJ adviser: rc73

MEMO: SUMMER Master’s Project Guidelines - M.S.

Please note, this memo is for PT students taking the Master’s Project during Summer 2008 only.

FROM: LynNell Hancock, Interim Dean of Academic Affairs
RE: Instructions on Submitting Your M.S. Master’s Projects, September 2008

The deadline for submitting your finished Master’s Project is Monday, September 8, at 10 a.m.

All projects must be submitted to Yahaira Alonzo, who will be stationed in the Stabile Student Center that morning.

Please submit one hard copy to the DOS office in a 9 ½ by 11-inch envelope. Label the envelope with your name, your class year, the title of your project and the name of your Master’s Project adviser.

You will be required to sign your name on the Master’s Project submission log when you turn in your final project. Only those students who received a formal extension from your faculty adviser and the Dean of Students Office have permission to miss this deadline.

Please e-mail one final copy of your project to your adviser. Ask your adviser if he or she also wants a hard copy.

This final version of your project will be available in the Columbia Library, so it must conform to the following requirements:

1. Formatting

  • Margins and Numbers
    The print version, or a verbatim broadcast script, must be double-spaced on one side of white paper, leaving a 1½- inch margin on the left-hand side and a 1-inch margin on all other sides. Pages must be numbered. No binding, or staples, please.
  • Title Page
    Include a separate title page with the following information: Your name, class year,
    the title of your project, the name of your master’s adviser, and, at the bottom of the
    page, add:

    Copyright
    (Name of Student)
    (Year)

2. Source List
Submit a complete source list for your project at the end of your project. If you are not certain about the best way to cite a source, consult with your adviser. Be aware that source lists and your entire project, including the “P.S.” portion, will be available for reading and copying by all Journalism School library visitors. If you have confidentiality concerns with sources (i.e. names, phone numbers, personal addresses, etc.), you are responsible for removing the source list from the library copy.

3. Post Script
At the end of your project, you must include a first-person narrative describing how you discovered, researched and reported your story. This will help future students see what goes into the making of a successful master’s project. This “P.S.” should be included with all copies of your project after the source list, and should run no longer than 1,000 words. Remember that this post script will be available along with your project in the library.

Students submitting a Radio or Television/Video Project should include:

  • One copy of your script for DOS, email a second to the adviser, plus a hard copy to the adviser if he/she requests it. Include a Post Script and Source List as described above.
  • For television, one copy of your project on DVD for DOS. Provide a second DVD directly to your adviser, plus a videotape copy if your adviser requests one
  • For Radio, one copy of your project on audio CD for DOS, and a second for your adviser. In addition, provide your adviser a copy of the .wav file (i.e. the final mix “bounce,” on a data CD.

Label all your DVDs, CDs, tapes and accompanying materials with complete project information (author(s), title, adviser). Indicate whether CDs are data or audio. The Technical Staff can assist television projects in making the DVDs from the final, edited tape. Be sure to give them plenty of advance notice if you need their assistance.

Students submitting a New Media project should include:

  • A printed cover page with your names, topic and URL, and a copyright statement. One hard copy to DOS, another emailed to your adviser.
  • A printed source list and P.S. as described above. In most cases, your “about us” should suffice. Bring one copy to DOS; send a second by email to your adviser.

The library cannot store computer disks, and does not have the facilities for viewing their contents. A hyperlink will be made from the Masters Project Index web page to the project itself.

You will be expected to submit the materials above AND upload your final websites to the servers by 10 a.m. on Monday, September 8.

4. Your Copy
Keep a copy of your project for yourself. Neither the Journalism School nor the Journalism Library is able to provide on-demand copies of your work.

Congratulations!

MEMO: Add/Drop Instructions

From Dean Huff, Asst. Dean of Students

The Add/Drop period begins this coming Monday, August 25, at 7 a.m.

During this period, students may request a change of classes.

Please note that this is only a REQUEST and we cannot guarantee your request will be accommodated.

On each Add/Drop request form you may request to add one class AND drop one class.

It is possible for PT, KB and MA students [and MS looking to add a second skill] to simply fill out the “Add” or “Drop” portion if you are not looking to switch, but merely to add or drop a class.

The Add/Drop request form will be available as of 7 a.m. on Monday, August 25. Additional information on the Add/Drop request process is listed below. Please read it carefully before submitting a request form.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ADD/DROP REQUESTS:

The Add/Drop period Monday, August 25, at 7 a.m. to September 12, at 7 a.m.

Add/Drop forms are processed on a first come, first served basis.

If your form is submitted correctly you will receive a request confirmation e-mail within 24 hours. Please remember to include the @columbia.edu after your UNI.

You will NOT receive an e-mail from our office saying that your request was granted or not granted.

To learn if your request was granted, you must keep checking your class schedule on the web using STUDENT SERVICES ONLINE. All requests remain on file during the add/drop period.

You do not need to submit multiple forms for the same Add/Drop request. If I am able to grant requests I do it as soon as possible but sometimes it takes days for a space to open in a class. Sometimes the space never opens up. In most cases, if you want to add a class I have to wait to see whether someone else wants to drop it.

Please remember that you are submitting an Add/Drop REQUEST.

There is no guarantee that I will be able to approve your request. Until you see a change reflected on your class schedule on STUDENT SERVICES ONLINE, your request has not been approved.

I will NOT drop you from a required course unless I can get you into the course you have requested. If you have more than one preference, you may for a given course, in the notes section of the Add/Drop form, indicate so. Simply complete the add portion of the form with your first preference and in the notes section give me the same info about your second, third, etc., choices. You must include the call and course numbers if you indicate other preferences in the notes section.

Also, please be certain that you are not requesting a class that conflicts with any of your other classes.

And finally, remember that if you are requesting to add a course, you are also probably planning to drop a course. DON’T forget to request to drop the course and please do it on the same form you use to request a class.

The only way I will be able to approve most requests is by knowing which courses will be dropped by students.

SAMPLE FORM BELOW (information is fictional)

Program/Contact Information (information below is fictional)

Your Name: SUSIE J-SCHOOLER

PID: C000213126

E-mail: sjs2009@columbia.edu

Phone: 917-123-4560

Program: FT Master of Science

Concentration: Newspaper (M.S. students only)

Stabile: No

Please enter the details of the course you would like to ADD: (information for completing this section is at the Directory of Classes - see instructions at the top of the add/drop form)
Class Number: J6000; Section Number: 20; Call Number: 81350
Title: Covering Fish

Please enter the details of the course you would like to DROP: (information for completing this section is at the Directory of Classes - see instructions at the top of the add/drop form)
Class Number: J6000; Section Number: 16; Call Number: 72241
Title: Reporting on Snails

* Please note that for days/dates and times of skills classes, you need to refer to
http://web.jrn.columbia.edu/students/Skills_web3.html

ADD/DROP FORM - http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/AddDrop

August 20, 2008

OFFER: NY TIMES subscription for more than 50% off.

Dear Students:

The New York Times is offering home or campus delivery of their newspaper to students at a steep discount.
If you are interested, click on the link below.

http://snurl.com/3i2ok

All you have to do is create an account, select your delivery option, the subscription that best suits your needs, and enter your payment method.

Hope you all take advantage of this generous offer.

If you have any questions, email Yahaira at ya139[at]columbia.edu .
Thanks.
YA

August 18, 2008

TIPS: Tech Jam Sessions

TECH JAM SESSIONS: Learn a new technology in about 20 minutes with Sree Sreenivasan

ALL LEVELS OF EXPERTISE WELCOME, NO RSVP.

These are just the August sessions. Send in suggestions for the fall. We already have one: Avoiding RSI and other computer-related injuries; your topic here.

ALL SESSIONS IN THE STUDENT CENTER

* Wednesday, Aug. 20, 1:30-2:30 pm
RSS Tips + Google Calendar Tips (descriptions below)

* Thursday, Aug. 20, 2-3 pm
RSS Tips + Google Calendar Tips (descriptions below)

* Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2-3 pm
Facebook-for-Journalists Tips + Gmail Tips (descriptions below)

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

RSS FEEDS: How to use these amazing resources to improve your media diet and keep up with the all the stuff you want to read. You will learn how to set up an RSS reader and how to make it useful for your reporting, editing and general news consumption.

GOOGLE CALENDAR: How to use Google Calendar to keep track of your own appointments, along with various calendars at the school and off campus. You will also learn how to deploy Google Calendar in your non-J-school life, if you wish.

FACEBOOK/LINKEDIN: Learn how to become a power user of these popular social networking sites. Also learn about pitfalls, problems and dangers.

GMAIL: Learn how to become a power user of this popular e-mail progam + a look at the newly updated Yahoo Mail. Why both are better than any of the others out there.

MEMO: MEMO: Important Student Services Requirements for PT Students

Filed under: Part-time Students

To: PT Students
From: Jeffrey Scott, Executive Vice President
Columbia University Student and Administrative Services

Welcome to the Fall 2008 semester from the Columbia University Division of Student Services. This email outlines important steps you need to take before the semester begins. Please complete the required tasks as soon as possible.

HEALTH SERVICES AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS – SEPTEMBER 30 DEADLINE

Part-time students are encouraged to have health insurance coverage and to enroll in the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan, which will include access to services offered by the Health Service Program. Learn more about the Columbia Plan, the Health Service Program, and Health Services at www.health.columbia.edu.

Part-time students who have been insured under the Columbia Plan in previous years and wish to enroll again must re-enroll by September 30, 2008 to avoid a break in coverage.

To enroll, visit the Health Services website at www.health.columbia.edu before September 30.

Note: All students enrolled at Columbia are also required to pay the Health Service Program Fee of $387 per semester for access to all on-campus health services. This fee cannot be waived.

TUITION AND FEES – PAYMENT DUE SEPTEMBER 11

On August 18, your Student Account Statement, detailing charges and anticipated credits, will be generated electronically by Student Financial Services (SFS) via the University’s E-Billing system. Once your statement is available online, an email alert will be sent to your Columbia email address.

Please note that if you make changes to your schedule during Add/Drop, you will need to adjust your bill accordingly.

Payment for fall term charges must be received by September 11. A $150 late payment charge will be assessed on September 12 to any account that is not paid in full.

For more information about tuition, fees and payment options for the upcoming academic year, please visit www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs.

OTHER REMINDERS

* You can sign up for optional Dining Plans, Dining Dollars or a Flex account at www.dining.columbia.edu. Dining Dollars allow you to make tax-free purchases at 13 on-campus dining locations, while a Flex Account can be used at dining venues, the University Bookstore, campus vending machines, laundry facilities, self-service copiers at the libraries, and select off-campus venues.

* Please make sure that your emergency contact information is up to date. Please go to http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/Emergency/ to complete a new form if any of your information is not current. You may also want to enroll in text message notification at https://ssol.columbia.edu/?tran%5b1%5d_tran_name=seni.

If you have any questions about these requirements, please visit Ask Us, the Q&A tool of Student Services at https://askus.columbia.edu. Best wishes for the coming year.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Scott
Executive Vice President
Columbia University Student and Administrative Services

NOTES FROM… Prof. Sig Gissler on “Covering a Beat”

Prof. Sig Gissler, who teaches in the new media program and is administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, gave his annual “Covering Your Beat” lecture to the full-time M.S. students. Here is the PowerPoint presentation he used this year (if the version below doesn’t work, try this link).

August 13, 2008

AUGUST: Full-time M.S. schedule + optional all-class events for other students

Here are some Google Calendar calendars you need to now about. As will all versions of Google Calendar, you can click through and see the full calendar. Within each calendar, you can also click on the “+ Google Calendar” logo on the lower right and add the calendar to your own personal calendar collection. [Dean Sreenivasan will be holding a “Tech Jam Session” on how to better use Gcal later in August and also has some tips below.]

RW1 Sections (please confirm schedules with your respective professors):

PLEASE NOTE: The Cooper/West class has already received a full calendar from their professors.
~~~

SOME GOOGLE CALENDAR TIPS: StopDesign, Jim’sTips, LifeHack.org.

MEMO: Fall 2008 Skills

Filed under: Curriculum

The University doesn’t have an easy way to display the days and dates for our five-week skills courses. To assist you with planning your schedule we have created a web page with all the classes and the exact dates and times when the classes will meet.

We will be making updates, so please check it often:
http://web.jrn.columbia.edu/students/Skills_web3.html

Questions to dos [at] jrn.columbia.edu

PHOTO: Meet in the new full-time MS class

Filed under: Orientation, Photos

Here are photos from day two of the M.S. full-time class orientation.

From Student Affai…
From Student Affai…

We’ll be adding more photos to http://picasaweb.google.com/sreetips/StudentAffairs20082009 throughout the year (send us yours at sree@sree.net). Also see http://picasaweb.google.com/sreetips/StudentAffairs20072008 to get a sense of last year’s activities.

August 12, 2008

CONTEST: Cordier Essay Contest

The Journal of International Affairs is currently accepting submissions of articles that deal with contemporary international issues related to Global Finance for the Fall 2008 Cordier Essay Contest. The winning article earns its author $300 along with publication in the Journal of International Affairs.

Submission Guidelines:
1. The Cordier Essay Contest is open to all currently enrolled students of Columbia University and affiliated schools.
2. Essays cannot have been previously published, but NEED NOT be written specifically for the contest: Papers submitted for academic credit or written under other circumstances are welcome and encouraged, provided they are relevant to the upcoming issue’s theme of Global Finance and have not been published elsewhere.
3. Papers should not exceed 4,000 words.
4. DEADLINE: Essays are due by September 15th at 11:59 P.M.

To submit an essay for consideration or if you have any questions, please contact Josh Amata, Cordier Editor, at jra2121[at]columbia.edu.

About the Journal of International Affairs
As the second-oldest publication in the field of International Affairs, the Journal has published articles by preeminent scholars and practitioners that have included Jimmy Carter, Paul Volcker and Margaret Mead. The Cordier Essay Contest provides Columbia University students the opportunity to contribute their academic research the topic of that semester’s issue.

Alfred I. duPont Research Assistant Fellowships

The duPont research assistant fellowships are open to all students who have applied for financial aid (MS, MA, international and part-time students) who are concentrating on tv or radio or have some broadcast experience. We have extended the application deadline to noon on Monday, August 18. Please direct all applications and questions to dupontawards@jrn.columbia.edu, not to Melanie Huff.

Alfred I. duPont Research Assistant Fellowships

The Journalism School administers the Alfred I. duPont Awards for excellence in radio and television journalism. These annual awards are the broadcast equivalent of the Pulitzer Prizes, which are also administered at the school.

Each academic year, the Alfred I. duPont Center for Broadcast Journalism offers two research assistant positions to help with the administrative work of the center. The students (primarily broadcast concentrators) assist in the process of selecting duPont Award-winning programs, help prepare for the duPont Awards ceremony and PBS documentary about the winners in January, and help make the duPont Archive of winning programs available to faculty and students. The students will receive $7500 as a tuition grant. The selected candidates will be required to make a commitment to work several hours per week, but the work load is very heavy in December and January when students are working on their masters’ projects. Every effort will be made to accommodate students’ academic responsibilities.

To select two full-time students who are able to combine their interest in broadcast journalism with the heavy demands of the master’s degree program, we require you to submit a one-paragraph answer to each of the following questions:

A. What is your experience or interest in radio or television journalism?
B. Describe your ability to handle multiple responsibilities.

1) Reply by noon on Monday, August 18, to dupontawards@jrn.columbia.edu and use “DUPONT RESEARCH ASSISTANT” on the subject line of your email.

2) Attach a current resume with two references, one work reference and one academic reference, with email addresses and phone numbers.

MEMO: Schedule for Wednesday, August 13

Class schedule: Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008

Cabral
9-noon:
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule
1-4 p.m.
Photo training, 607B

Dinges
9-noon
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule
1-4 p.m.
Audio training: 107A

Goldman
9-noon
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule
1-4 p.m.
Seminar: 601B

Maharidge
9-noon
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule
1-4 p.m.
Seminar, 607C

Matloff
9-noon
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule
1-4 p.m.
Seminar, 607A

Ojito
9-noon
Seminar, 601B
1-4 p.m.
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule

Padawer
9-noon
Audio 1, 501A
1-4 p.m.
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule

Padwe
9-noon
Seminar: 601C
1-4 p.m.
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule

Rimmer
9-noon
Seminar, 607A
1-4 p.m.
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule

Shapiro
9-noon
Photo training, 607B
1-4 p.m.
Print concentrators, unscheduled
NM concentrators, consult NM training schedule

Cooper
Consult class syllabus

Lipton/Cutbirth
9-noon
Unscheduled
1-4 p.m.
Seminar, 502

Cross/Muha
9-noon
Unscheduled
1-4 p.m.
Seminar, 801

All-Class Lecture5-6:30 p.m.
“Sound and Vision”
Speaker: Rick Karr, PBS
Location: Lecture Hall

NOTES FROM… Len Downie’s opening day talk

Len Downie, the executive editor of The Washington Post, was the opening day speaker at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism on Monday, August 11, 2008. His talk, and the Q&A that followed, dealt extensively with current trends in journalism, his experience at the Post and accountability journalism.  He sprinkled his discussion with examples from Post stories and colleagues. What follows is an annotated version of the unedited notes from which Downie spoke. It will give you a sense of the conversation and allow you to read some of the stories he cited.

Len Downie, executive editor, The Washington Post
Opening Day Speaker
Columbia Graduate School of Journalism
Monday, August 11, 2008

Why are you here? What do you want to do in journalism?

News media undergoing seismic changes:

  • Audience shifts from print newspapers and television to Internet
  • Classified advertising (jobs, cars, houses) from print to Web
  • Print advertising revenue decline accelerated by economic slowdown
  • Television news audience shift from broadcast to cable networks

Impact:

  • Newspaper profits shrinking, even losses ($30-40 million a year at Newark Star-Ledger, several million last quarter at Washington Post)
  • Chains, heavily in debt, selling some papers (Tribune sold Newsday, McCatchey sold Phi Inquirer and Minn. Star-Tribune) and may break up
  • Some major metro dailies may fold
  • A few smaller papers are moving onto Internet only one or more days a week or completely
  • Newspaper newsroom staffs are shrinking rapidly – between 25 and 50 % so far
  • Television network and station newsrooms also shrinking

So why go into journalism?
(more…)

August 11, 2008

MENTOR PROGRAM

Join the Journalism School Mentor Program!

Start early seeking help with navigating the industry and make the most of your time in NYC. Join the Alumni Mentor Program now! For more information, go to: http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/student/mentor

In 1987, the alumni of the Journalism School started a mentor program for students. Open to both full-time and part-time students, the program is designed to give you access to a journalist working in the field you hope to pursue. We hope your mentor will serve as a resource for making the most of your time in New York City and will ease your transition from school to the workplace. The mentor program is voluntary and it’s up to you to make the most of it. You must be willing to commit the time to reach out to your mentor on a regular basis.

Alumni are generally enthusiastic and want to help, but not everyone works at a big newspaper or television station. Many mentors are recent graduates who are employed at Web sites or trade publications. Some are reporters covering business or local news. But all know about the school and the profession and are ready to share their experience with you.

A few words of caution: The goal of the program is not to get you a job after commencement. Many mentors are uncomfortable about being placed in the position of recruiter. So, please don’t sign up if your primary motivation is meeting alumni who could employ you, we have an excellent Career Service staff trained to work with you.

August 5, 2008

NEW SITE: Columbia/News21’s “Immigration: New Voters, Old Fears”

Filed under: Student work

I wanted to draw your attention to the launch of “Immigration: New Voters, Old Fears,” the Columbia News21 project for “What’s At Stake: Election 08,” http://newsinitiative.org/project/immigration_new_voters_old_fears

From a creative, animated home page to the wide array of richly
interactive, multimedia stories inside, “Immigration: New Voters, Old Fears” is a remarkable and innovative news website.

It was created by 10 News21 Fellows working in the 801 Lab under the guidance of project coordinator John B. Judis of The New Republic, along with Adjunct Prof. Adam Glenn as managing editor, and Dean of Students Melanie Huff. Also consulting on the project were Prof. Duy Linh Tu, coordinator of the New Media Program, and Adjunct Prof. Russell Chun, along with New Media Fellows Dave Mayers and Kenan Davis, and J’07 grad Ahmed Shihab-Eldin.

Over 10 weeks, the fellows traveled around the country to better understand the political impact of immigrants and immigration. A massive wave of legal - and illegal - immigrants is transforming the United States, changing the way we live and vote, inspiring hope of national renewal, but also provoking fear and resentment. Our team of journalists explores the impact on this year’s election, and beyond.

The News21 project is a journalism initiative of the Carnegie and Knight foundations and 44 students from five universities (Columbia, UC Berkeley, USC, Medill, Harvard) worked on an overall site, “What’s At Stake:
Election ‘08.”

This is the third year of a three-year cycle for News21. The program recently was expanded with new schools and renewed for another three years. Watch for news this fall how members of the Class of 2009 can participate next spring and summer.

Congrats to the entire team!

Please take a look at their work at:
http://newsinitiative.org/project/immigration_new_voters_old_fears

August 4, 2008

INFORMAL EVENTS: Four mixers this week

Filed under: SPJ, Orientation, Fun stuff

Dear Incoming Students and Continuing PT Students:

Please note four opportunities for you to connect this week.

1. Wednesday, 6-8 pm: Happy Hour at Havana Central (113th St and Broadway).
This is not a formal J-school event - but do stop by - the right side of the
bar is where we will try to gather.

2. Thursday, 6-8 pm: Happy Hour at Lion’s Head Tavern (109th St and Amsterdam).
This is not a formal J-school event - but do stop by. The international
students will have just finished up with their all-day off-campus orientation
session.

3. Friday, 7:00pm - midnight: Olympics at the J-School. Come watch the opening ceremony
of the Beijing Olympics this Friday in the Stabile Student Center.
Bring your own snacks and refreshments.

4. Sunday, noon-???: SPJ’s J-school summer picnic at Central Park. See details
from current PTer Ko Im below. ALL QUESTIONS/COMMENTS TO HER.

BYO “Summer Lawn Party”: Attention summer part-time and incoming fall
students!

From: Ko Im
Join us before all the craziness - on the Great Hill (W. 106th St., Central
Park NW) this Sunday from noon onwards. We will bring refreshments, snacks and
a frisbee. If you’re in the area, it’ll be a casual get-together between the
international/m.s. orientation sessions. If you are new to NYC (welcome!),
please meet me at 11:45 at 110th & Amsterdam and we will walk down together.
Ko Im
Society of Professional Journalists- Columbia
ki2156[at]columbia.edu

Meanwhile, if you haven’t listened yet to the Open Mic webcast with some
of your classmates yet, please do so:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ColumbiaJournalism/2008/08/01/MEET-THE-J-SCHOOL-Open-mic-session-for-students

ARCHIVE OF ALL THE WEBCASTS: http://blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism

MA Class August Readings

Memo to the MA Class
From: Evan Cornog, Director of the MA Program

Dear M.A. Class of 2009:

As director of the M.A. program, I look forward to welcoming you here on August28th, and on working with you in the coming academic year.

If you have questions about what’s ahead, please go first to the school Website, in particular:

http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/cs/ContentServer/jrn/1212608980076/page/1212608978934/JRNSimplePage2.htm

If you have questions not answered there, please be in touch with me.

We promised you a short list of readings you might want to take on before coming here. They are:

For the Evidence and Inference course, W. G. Sebald, “Air War and Literature”in On the Natural History of Destruction (Modern Library)

For the history course, Prof. Michael Schudson’s Discovering the News (BasicBooks) and Walter Lippmann’s Liberty and the News, in a new edition from Princeton University Press (you need only read the Lippmann, not the foreword or lengthy afterword).

I hope the rest of the summer goes well for you, and I look forward to seeing you in late August.

Best,

Evan

August 1, 2008

WEBCAST: Meet Bill Grueskin, the new Dean of Academic Affairs

On Friday, Aug. 1, 2008, Bill Grueskin, the Columbia Journalism School’s new Dean of Academic Affairs, was interviewed as part of the school’s webcast program. Grueskin, who was, most recently, deputy managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, spoke for an hour with Sree Sreenivasan, the school’s Dean of Student Affairs, about a wide range of topics.

Among them: the role of the WSJ in American journalism; the major changes at the paper since the arrival of Robert Thomson and Rupert Murdoch (including the recent editing layoffs); advice for young journalists; the future of newspapers; how technology has changed the business; how non-techies can learn how to work in the new world; the role of editing in journalism; his career (which included a stint on a paper on a Native American reservation); and more (he also answered questions received via e-mail and chatroom).

You can listen to the hour-long conversation here or via the player below:

See the full archive of Columbia J-school 15+ webcasts with faculty, administrators, alumni and more at http://blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism

These are also available as downloadable MP3 files for your personal collection. If you want to subscribe to these as podcasts on iTunes, go to “Advanced” within iTunes, then select “Subscribe to podcast” and type in http://www.blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism/feed and hit OK.

Questions, comments to sree@sree.net

- press release - June 2008 -

COLUMBIA’S GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM NAMES BILL GRUESKIN OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AS NEW ACADEMIC DEAN

New York, NY (June 4, 2008) — Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism announced that Bill Grueskin, the Deputy Managing Editor for News at The Wall Street Journal, will assume the position of Dean of Academic Affairs beginning on September 2, 2008. Mr. Grueskin will also have the academic title of Professor of Professional Practice.
(more…)

July 18, 2008

MEMO: Online and Print Student Directory

Dear Students:

We invite you to start filling out your Journalism School online student directory. This directory, which is accessible only by current students, faculty and staff, is a great networking tool - and is separate from the class Facebook group (which we hope you will continue to use).

The information you enter in this web directory will then be transferred to the print student/staff/faculty directory, which you will receive in the fall.

We ask that you complete filling out your profile by Aug. 1 - the entire process should take no more than five minutes.

The link to the directory is: http://cujs.photobooks.com

Once you have logged in successfully *both* times, you will be directed to the home page of the directory. On this page you will find the *edit my profile* link. Please click on that link to start filling out your profile.

You will have to upload a current, high-resolution, JPEG picture of yourself. We ask that you submit a basic headshot photo, similar to a passport photo.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Yahaira Alonzo,
Student Affairs Coordinator
Columbia Journalism School

July 6, 2008

MEMO: Fall 2008 Ballots Go Live

Fall Ballots go live at 10 a.m., Monday, July 7.

Please carefully follow the instructions below.

First, M.S. students please read the Fall Curriculum thoroughly.

You may read students’ evaluations of many of the classes and professors at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/. You will have to log in using your UNI and password.

Please select from the two options below the appropriate ballot for you.

To complete the ballot you will need your Columbia e-mail address and PID (If you have lost your PID, please refer to http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2005/11/14/faq-how-do-i-find-my-pid/)

The ballots are NOT handled on a first-come, first-served basis. As long as you make the deadline (Monday, July 14, 10 a.m.) you have equal standing with all other students.

NOTE: Ranking the same class as your first choice repeatedly DOES NOT increase your likelihood of getting into that class. Rather it means that we will randomly select your class (or adviser) if we are not able to give you your first choice.

Those who miss the ballot deadline will be placed in classes on a space available basis. If you made a mistake or changed your mind, please resubmit your ballot. Your most recently-submitted ballot as of the deadline (Monday, July 14, 10 a.m.) will be the one processed.

If you experience any problems using the ballot, please send e-mail to dos@jrn.columbia.edu Please note we cannot promise students they will gain a seat in any specific class.

The ballot for FT M.S. students is at http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/FT_MS_Ballots

The ballot for PT M.S. students and M.A. students is at http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/MA-PTBallot/

Please answer all questions carefully.

July 1, 2008

MEMO: Fall M.S. Curriculum launched

M.S. students: The Fall Curriculum Guide info is below. and we are hosting a webcast/discussion about it on Wednesday, July 2. The M.A. students have more of a set curriculum, and will be receiving their guide in a few days, with a webcast/discussion with Dean Evan Cornog set for Thursday, July 17, 1-2 p.m. Eastern Time.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO ALL OUR PREVIOUS WEBCASTS AND SEE ALL OUR RESOURCES AND FAQS FOR NEW STUDENTS at http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2008/04/18/prepping/

[Please read the guide carefully. It’s also available off the “Current Students” page of the website.]

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Special info about your orientation, which begins Aug. 7, is at this link.

To: All M.S. students
From: LynNell Hancock, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Interim
Re: M.S. Instructional Program

Welcome!

The faculty, administrators and staff are glad that you have chosen to study with us at Columbia Journalism School. As students, you will be joining a community of teachers and learners who are dedicated to the highest ideals and aspirations of journalism. We believe that journalism is an integral part of a free, open and well-informed society. Everything we offer academically helps to promote that goal.

We have prepared some information to help you make appropriate academic decisions in the year to come.

It describes the instructional program for the Fall Semester for full-time M.S. candidates [LINK]
], and will help answer questions you might have
about the school [LINK].

This is an exciting moment in journalism, when technology is rapidly enhancing and altering the ways in which we tell the world’s stories. You will become familiar with the language and discipline of the changing modes of communication during the course of your time with us. At the same time, you will be reminded in every course that first-rate journalism education is far more than a mastery of skills. It’s all about learning context, analysis and habits of mind.

In mid-August, I will be returning to the faculty and you will have a chance to meet my successor as Dean of Academic Affairs, Bill Grueskin. He joins us from the Wall Street Journal, where he was one of the top editors and helped run the print and online newsrooms. Professor Grueskin will help lead the way in
bridging traditional journalism with the future of the industry.

Meanwhile, take special note of the impending deadlines (our favorite word) for balloting for Fall courses. And sample as many books as you can over the summer from the suggested reading list [LINK].

See you in August.

LynNell Hancock

June 23, 2008

WEBCAST: Meet the faculty - Prof. Judith Matloff

Message from Dean Sreenivasan

Dear Students:

We are going to be doing more webcasts in the weeks ahead. Coming soon: Sheila Coronel, who heads our investigative journalism program; Betsy West, who teaches in the broadcast program; Joe Cutbirth, who teaches reporting and writing (and is a PhD candidate himself); Larry Fried, dean of technology and his tech team; LynNell Hancock, who teaches education reporting (and is finishing up her term as interim academic dean); and Bill Grueskin, our new academic dean.

Meanwhile, our next session is later today:
MEET THE J-SCHOOL: Judith Matloff, adjunct professor, author and war correspondent. Her new book, “Home Girl: Building a Dream House on a Lawless Block,” is about her setting up a new life in Harlem.

TODAY, Monday, June 23, 3-4 p.m. NY time
See local time in your city here: http://snurl.com/2nese

Listen live at the link below (or by dialing a NYC number, 646-915-9583) or listen to a recording later: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ColumbiaJournalism/2008/06/23/MEET-THE-FACULTY-Judith-Matloff

You can send your questions in advance: dos[at]jrn.columbia.edu (subject=webcast) and you can also ask questions via the live chatroom there (another chance to meet some of your new classmates, too).

Judith Matloff has been teaching reporting and writing; covering conflicts and other courses at the J-School for several years. Her latest book: “Home Girl: Building a Dream House on a Lawless Block.” She worked as a staff foreign correspondent for 20 years, specializing in areas of turmoil. She covered a total 62 countries, heading the Africa and Moscow bureaus of The Christian Science Monitor. Previously, Matloff spent a decade at Reuters in various positions in Europe and Africa. She has reported on major world matters including apartheid’s demise, genocide, EU expansion and OPEC.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO ALL OUR PREVIOUS WEBCASTS AND SEE ALL OUR RESOURCES AND FAQS FOR NEW STUDENTS at http://deanstudents.blogsome.com/2008/04/18/prepping/

You can also access all the recordings of all our webcasts at
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism

These are also available as downloadable MP3 files for your personal
collection. If you want to subscribe to these as podcasts on iTunes,
go to “Advanced” within iTunes, then select “Subscribe to podcast” and
type in http://www.blogtalkradio.com/columbiajournalism/feed and hit OK.

June 18, 2008

MEMO: Diploma Applications

Degrees are awarded in October, February and May. Every candidate, regardless of graduation date, is invited to participate in the May Commencement ceremony.

In order to be considered for a degree or certificate, you must file an application with the Journalism School.

IMPORTANT: This form CANNOT be submitted electronically. Please type in the required information, print, sign and bring it to the box outside of Dean Huff’s office [207C] marked “Diploma Applications.”

Alternately, you can mail it to:

Dean Huff
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
2950 Broadway
New York, NY 10027

Application Deadlines
Graduating in - Apply by
October - August 1
February - November 1
May - December 1

Please Note The Following:

  • When a deadline for application falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
  • Doctoral students must deposit their dissertation at least a week before the conferral date in order to graduate.
  • June 13, 2008

    FACULTY: Bruce Porter’s farewell

    Filed under: Faculty, Webcasts

    In the fall of 1961, a young man named Bruce Porter came to the Columbia Journalism School as a student. On June 5, 2008, we gathered to say goodbye at his retirement party. In the 47 years in between, he became a successful journalist, author and professor, never wandering too far from the school or NYC before coming here to teach full-time again a dozen years ago.

    Here are videos of his remarks at the end of “The Porter Party” which was a combination toast and roast:




    Earlier the same day, we hosted a webcast with Prof. Porter, where he talked about his work, his book “Blow” and teaching at the J-school. Incoming student Joel Stonington helped conduct the interview. Listen to the webcast here.

    May 23, 2008

    MEMO: Welcome New Part-Time Students

    Part-Time May 2008 Orientation
    Friday, May 23rd, 2008

    8:30 am:

    • Pick up name tags and Orientation Folders: Lobby
    • Coffee and pastries: World Room

    9:00 am - Welcome: World Room

    • Prof. Laura Muha, Director of the Part-Time Program
    • Leon Braswell, Director of Admissions & Financial Aid
    • Melanie Huff, Assistant Dean of Students
    • Ernest Sotomayor, Assistant Dean of Career Services

    10:00 am: Break

    10:15 am: Computer Activation

    • Cabral 501A Lab
    • Whitehouse 601A Lab
    • Reisig 607C Lab

    11:00 am: World Room

    • Prof. Sree Sreenivasan, Dean of Student Affairs
    • Student Panel led by David Ressel, J’07 “Succeeding as a Part-Time Student”
      A group of part-time students discuss life at the J-school

    12:00 pm: Box lunch, World Room

    12:30 - 1:30pm:

    • Pick up your Columbia University ID
    • Financial Aid: 202 Kent Hall

    2:00 pm-4:00 pm: First session with Professors

    • Beth Whitehouse, Room 607A
    • Roberta Reisig, Room 602
    • Maria Elena Cabral, Room 501A

    4-5:30 pm: Talk by Brian McDonald followed by a Reception: Student Center
    hosted by the Dean of Student Affairs

    Brian McDonald alumni of the PT program and author of four books in 10 years, will discuss his new book, “Last Call at Elaine’s: A Journey From One Side Of The Bar To The Other” and what he learned at Columbia Journalism School.

    Saturday, May 24, 2008

    Beth Whitehouse - 10:30 am – 1:30pm: Walking Tour
    In front of the Starbucks on Allen & Delancey St. (80 Delancey St.)

    Roberta Reisig & Maria Elana Cabral - 8:15am - 5:30pm:
    Meet 116th & Amsterdam
    All Day Bus Trip to Brooklyn, Red Hook, Gowanus & more

    Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - First Class
    Roberta Reisig: 7 pm - 10 pm - 601C
    Maria Elana Cabral: 7 pm - 9 pm - 607A

    Saturday, May 31, 2008 - First ClassBeth Whitehouse: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm - 302 Hamilton

    **Our building is closed that day for electrical repairs, so Beth’s class will be held in

    302 Hamilton (parallel to our building, on the other side of campus)**

    May 22, 2008

    OFFER: Free Year of CJR for 2008 CUGSJ Graduates!

    Filed under: Graduation, Offers

    TO: Graduating Journalism Students
    FROM: Dennis F. Giza, Deputy Publisher

    RE: Free One-year Subscription to CJR

    DATE: May 13, 2008

    Throughout the past year, you have received copies of CJR in your student mailbox. I hope you found each issue interesting, informative and useful.

    On behalf of the entire staff of CJR, I would like to offer you a FREE one-year subscription to our magazine.

    To accept, please e-mail me your address (referring to this offer) to dfg2 [at] columbia.edu. I recommend, based on past experience, you provide us a temporary or interim address rather than wait until your plans for the coming year are finalized. If, in the next year, you experience problems with your subscription, or change your address, please call 1-888-425-7782 or log on to our site at www.cjr.org and click on “Subscriptions” in the right-hand column.

    The one-year subscription will begin with the July/August ’08 issue and end with the May/June ’09. If you take advantage of this offer later than May (and miss some issues) your subscription will still expire with the May/June ’09 issue. Around January next year you will receive a letter saying your subscription is about to expire and asking that you become a paid subscriber; we hope that you opt to do so.

    Congratulations and good luck.